However, it was not that simple. My original partner for this contest had to withdraw as his back was still giving him fits from when he injured it training for the Connecticut Platinum Plus contest in July. I still planned on coming to train but I had no plans of doing the team contest portion. I also noticed that the charity wasn’t receiving much in the way of donations. The goal was $1000 and only $10 had been raised the week before it was to take off. Shocking to say the least. Also, the week of the contest my internet provider Comcast decided it would be a good time to change the e-mail login screen without telling anyone they would be doing this update. This “quick” fix, ended up delaying my e-mails for hours at a time (even days in some instances) the entire week. I missed important messages from Andy and Lou about the trip we were planning and I had to change plans and come down the day of the contest instead of the day before. Obviously, I’ve changed to a new e-mail service.
So it was an early morning for my dad and I. We left at 4:30 but I slept for around four hours. Brute Strength Gym is awesome. It really does have everything. I’d say about a third of the area is devoted to strongman stuff. Lots of stones, lots of tires, lots of everything. I paid for both my father and I ($10 each, that went to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital). I was one of the first people to get there. This was also when I found out that I did have a partner for the team contest. The guy who set up the show, David Pike, was going to be my partner. He figured that there was no way I was coming all this way to not have a partner. He also told me that I would be getting in quite the workout. I should add that Mr. Pike is 183lbs and was recovering from a broken hand. I also found out that the 500lbs atlas stone did not arrive as the one sponsor had backed out. I was bummed about that but it didn’t matter. I was more bummed about not being able to have the chance to double the charity money than having a chance to lift a 500lbs atlas stone. More people came in and we got warmed up and just waited until Pressy McGee (Tom Muttafis) arrived to start the show. Four teams in total.
To start the day off, it was a yoke into a frame carry. Yoke 860lbs 80’ and then a 645lbs frame carry 80’. Now since this was a team competition, we could switch in and out with our team mates. Unfortunately for my team, that wasn’t really an option on this event with the height discrepancy between me and Dave. Since Dave knew he couldn’t finish the yoke, I stepped it up for this. Our team went first (since the yoke was already at my height). I got set and went. I made a decent pace for me and finished the yoke. A big PR for me as I did 60lbs more than my best for 80’ and I did it with no drops (my best no drops for this distance was 770lbs). Now Dave said he wasn’t sure if he could do the frame (stupid broken hand) but he at least tried so I could catch my breath. He got it about 6’ after three picks and then I stepped in and finished the rest of the distance. Boy was I tired and the day was just starting.
Up next was the circus dumbbell clean and press. It was 12” bell 3” handle Slater dumbbell filled to 180lbs. Never really pressed this size dumbbell before. I’ve done a homemade circus dumbbell of 170lbs and I did my plate loaded one with this weight before but it had a smaller handle and was smaller overall. In fact, the most I’ve done with a 3” handle was only 115lbs and the 3” 185lbs one that Jon P. has was a bear to clean. I also had the distinct disadvantage of not being fully rested like the other teams (I had done heavy overheads and heavy triceps two days ago). Also the dumbbell was about 5-10lbs heavier in one end. Dave wanted to give it a shot first to try it and to let my legs rest a little longer. He gave it two attempts before I jumped in. I took it real slow and lo and behold I had trouble locking out my arms (hmmm, stupid tired triceps). I did manage to get three reps though which was good for a 2 rep and 10lbs PR on this kind of dumbbell. I know I’m better for more. This was the only event that I thought I did subpar on but oh well.
Then it was time for the car deadlift. This was key event as every rep was $1 to the charity. The car also had “I love backstreet boys” around the license plate. I have been trying my best to train this in the gym using barbells levered against the wall. I will say that this experiment was a great success as the midpoint felt just like it (though the top did not). The pick was very low at 11”, though it didn’t have weight on the handles for another inch into the lift. No bouncing on this one, down and up commands. Even though Dave was a better at this lift than me, I went first since it takes longer for me to get strapped in to it. I managed 5 hard reps before tagging in Dave. He then got 6 reps before tagging me back in. I threw my straps aside as I knew I could only get a few and strapping up again would just eat up valuable time. I managed to pull one more rep without straps and lost another one due to grip so Dave came back in. He managed two more reps (one right as time expired) for a total of 14 reps. In total, all the teams got a combined $101 for the charity on this event.
I guess Dave wasn’t feeling that well (either stress or too much caffeine or something) and he had to excuse himself to purge some weakness. I didn’t know that he had thrown up until we were about to start the next event. It was a 700lbs tire flip for 80’ and then power stairs with a 260lbs keg, 300ish impalement and a 400ish implement up four 17” steps. My right palm was bothering me from the dumbbell press and my plan was to have Dave do most of the tire flip and then I’d do the power stairs. Well when I found out he wasn’t feeling well, I suggested we alternate flips on the tire and then split up the power stairs. He wanted to try the 400lbs implement first. The whistle blew and I saw Dave had a bit of a tough time doing the first flip so I said I’ll do three flips. Those were easy. Then Dave came back in and did one flip and I did three more and then he did the final flip. Dave went over and gave two tries at the 405lbs implement but no go so I went and did the four steps. Dave then did the 260lbs keg (tricky because it wanted to slide). I offered to do the 305lbs implement but Dave said with a stern face that “he got it” and stepped back a little and went on to finish the medley. This was fun.
Final event was an atlas stone series. Actually, I should clarify and say this was an atlas stone series…FROM HELL! Ten stones in total and the weights and heights were 217lbs to 60”, 250lbs to 56”, 300lbs to 52”, 315lbs to 49”, 330lbs to 49”, 357lbs to 49”, 381lbs to 49”, a 22” diameter 422lbs stone to 44”, a 21” diameter 440lbs stone to 40” and a 22” diameter 432lbs stone to 40” (they were switched by mistake). Now the plan was for me to do the first stone due to how short Dave was and then let him do as many as he could until he failed and then I would jump to finish it off. Good plan of attack but there was one thing wrong. Dave could not stop puking. He was outside and according to his friend Mark Kimner “he tried to stand up and puked again before falling back down” so Dave was done for the day and I would have to it alone on the stones. I found all this out about ten minutes before I was to go. To say I was nervous is an understatement. I’ve never done this many stones in a series. The whistle blew and I went to work. There was no time limit (same as the yoke medley and tire medley) so I took my time. I got up to 330lbs easy and had a little struggle with 357lbs so I retackied for the 381lbs stone. Got that one up. So seven stones down, three to go. I really tackied up for the 422lbs stone as it looked like the dirtiest of the stones. Got this one pretty easy but I’m really breathing hard at this point. Now it was time for the 440lbs stone. I miss the first lap but retacky and get it nice and deep. I had very little let but I had enough left to roll it up to the low platform. Nine down, one to go. I’m closing in on the three minute mark and I’m just out of breath, everything below my hips is shaking and dead. I got at the 432lbs stone and squeeze as hard as I can to roll it into my lap. I waddle over to the platform, breathing very heavy and thrust. But I have nothing left and drop it. I raised my hands to say I’m done and laid down on the cool ground for a while to recover.
So after my atlas stone vision quest, my breathing returned to normal, my forearms stopped throbbing and I was able to stand up and watch the rest of the teams go at the stones. I thanked everyone for a great day of training, took photos with the other guys and we headed on our way. I also snatched four burritos from Chipotle that were provided for us. Why didn’t anyone tell me how good this stuff is? I only ate two of them since my dad and I stopped to visit my grandma, aunt, uncle and there two adorable kids for dinner before heading back up to the great North. I sure did get my money’s worth and it was for a great cause. Well, I’m most likely done with contests for this year but next planned contest is a favorite of mine, the Battle at the Barn.
I totally do.
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